Reaver Drinking Song (Rough Mix) (Patreon)

My little niche of music is the drinking song, be it traditional Irish or Scottish or the bizarre sci fi. These songs aren't about drinking they are about singing. 

I watched "Bushwhacked" this week in preparation for the next In the 'Verse podcast. One of the ideas that struck me was a Reaver Drinking Song. I mean, what do reavers do all day? They might be crazy, but they're not idiots. They can fly spaceships after all. They can create booby traps. 

So surely some write their own twisted drinking songs, right? 

What would that sound like?

That's how this song started. And that's what the chorus is all about. However, "Bushwhacked" was my least favorite episode of Firefly largely because it's pretty dark, and I think mutilation bothers me a lot. So while I thought about making this an audience participation song ("Name a body part. I'll write a verse." Um no.) But that was quickly scrapped.

Instead, I took it back to my Renaissance festival folk song roots. Take a bad guy from the show and lets mess with them.

Reaver's Lullaby

*Bash their heads flay their skinMake them scream in painLet ‘em alone and think you’re doneLet's start another refrain

Niska was old and scary, A bad reputationAnd then he heard a reaver screamHis body's gone for cremation.

Badger was a businessmanRoots in the communityA reaver ate his little gangAnd now he can't even pee

Durran's steak was always rareBefore I first met himHe met a reaver now won't eat steakHe's a vegetarian

Bester loved ships and womenThey howled when he boarded themHe ship was boarded by reavers. NowHe howls when they board him.

Boss Higgins' word was lawWhat he said was set in stoneThen reavers hit Higgins' MoonThe law is now written in bone

Fanty and Mingo are fine twinsYou can't tell one from t'otherUntil they met a band of reaversNow Mingo's the prettest brother

Jubal was a bounty hunterA sadist through and throughHe rambled about philosophyWhile a reaver started to chew

No mercy, they all were weakCattle for the slaughterOpen them up, look insideI think I see Harry Potter